The present invention relates generally to acoustically coupled information devices, and in particular, to a coupler enabling communication of information between a communication device and an acoustic device, such as a telephone, using acoustic tones.
Several types of devices including data processors and/or microcomputers are now being used to manage personal information such as contact information, addresses, telephone information, calendar information, appointments, expenses, mapping information, and the like. These devices, sometimes referred to as personal information management (PIM) devices, are also being equipped with telecommunication capabilities which enable the PIM devices to provide the combined functions of a personal information manager with those of a telephone, pager, fax machine, or other telecommunications device. Using these telecommunication capabilities, PIM devices may be used to remotely download or upload information from a communication network such as the Internet or from any other data management system, such as an electronic mail (E-mail) system, a mail server, and the like.
FIG. 1 depicts a simplified illustration of in exemplary handheld PIM device 10 described above. As shown, handheld device 10 may include a housing 22 having various function buttons 16 and a display screen 12. Function buttons 16 may permit a user to input data/information into handheld device 10, to display information on screen 12, or to perform other data processing/management functions. Display screen 12 is generally used to output information to the user and in one embodiment may be a liquid crystal display (LCD). Display screen 12 may also display various functional icons 14. By touching display screen 12 over the displayed icons 14, handheld device 10 can be made to perform functions including functions which may be performed using function buttons 16. Examples of PIM devices like the one depicted in FIG. 1 include the Palm.TM. family of devices available from 3Com.TM. Corporation.
PIM devices such as device 10 depicted in FIG. 1, or other communication devices generally upload/download information from other information sources via one or more communication links established between the PIM device and the information source. Examples of communication links include hardwire links, optical links, satellite or other wireless communications links, wave propagation links, or any other mechanisms for communication of information. Examples of information sources include a personal computer (PC), a fax machine, a communication network such as the Internet, and the like. Information which may be uploaded/downloaded by a PIM device or a communication device includes personal information, web pages, E-mail messages, electronic faxes, graphics, audio information, video information, and the like. For example, device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 may use electronic access port 20 having contacts 18 to establish a communication link with other devices for uploading/downloading information.
Some PIM devices are also capable of uploading/downloading information using an acoustical link between the PIM device and the information source. These PIM devices are typically equipped with a microphone and/or speaker assembly integrated into the handheld PIM device. The microphone and/or speaker allow the PIM device to establishment an acoustical communication link with the information source. These types of PIM systems are highly advantageous since they permit the handheld device to be acoustically coupled to a variety of different acoustic devices which transmit information using acoustic tones.
In order for a device to communicate information with an acoustic device, such as a telephone handset, it is necessary to acoustically couple the mouthpiece and earpiece of the acoustic device to a speaker and a microphone, respectively, which may typically be integrated with the device. A good acoustic coupling is required to ensure reliable transmission and reception of acoustical information signals/tones. Conventional coupling devices typically use large cups which enclose the entire mouthpiece and earpiece of a telephone handset in order to acoustically couple the speaker and the microphone to the telephone handset.
Although these coupling mechanisms provide good coupling, they are generally quite large and unwieldy and add weight and size to an otherwise light-weight, handheld, portable device. The increased weight and size also makes the integrated devices unattractive to users. Accordingly, although consumers desire the features offered by acoustical coupling, they are unwilling to use devices which are not convenient to be used as portable PIM devices.
Further, conventional coupling mechanisms arc primarily designed to be connected to a typical standard telephone handset, such as those used for pay telephones, and cannot be easily adjusted to work with other types of telephone handsets, such as cellular telephones or cordless phones. Some conventional acoustical couplers provide some degree of adjustability of the large plastic cups, but even these adjustable acoustical couplers cannot accommodate cellular telephones or cordless telephones due to the odd shape and positioning of the mouthpiece and earpiece on these telephones. For example, a typical cellular phone may have a flip portion with a mouthpiece integrated into the flip portion and an earpiece which is integrated into a body portion of the telephone. Such cellular phones cannot be effectively coupled to conventional acoustical couplers. Further, the coupling mechanism is usually quite bulky and thus cannot be used with portable PIM devices. As a result, a majority of the commercially available PIM devices from various manufacturers arc typically not equipped with acoustical coupling mechanisms.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a coupling mechanism/device which can enable communication of information between a communication device, such as a portable PIM, and an acoustic device using acoustic tones without the aforementioned disadvantages. Further, it is desired that the PIM device be able to acoustically communicate with a wide variety of acoustic communication devices, such as telephones, including conventional telephones, cellular telephones, cordless telephones, fax machines and pagers, and other acoustic information sources.